THE FLORISTS' MANUAL. 



J3 



small ferneries than as an exhibition 

 plant. 



The fronds of A. c. mundulum are 

 shorter and rather stiffer than those of 

 the parent form, not often more than 

 nine or ten inches long, very dark 

 green, and closely furnished with nar- 

 row, wedge-shaped pinnae. In general 

 outline the fronds are deltoid, and 

 when well matured they possess suffi- 

 cient substance to be useful in cut 

 flower work, where a small frond is 

 required. 



A. c. mundulum comes true from 

 spores, and also germinates freely, the 

 spores being produced abundantly on 

 old plants, and it flourishes under the 

 same treatment as A. cuneatum, thus 

 being by no means difficult to man- 

 age. 



Nicely grown plants in 3-inch pots 

 are very short and bushy, and may be 

 used to advantage where A. cuneatum 

 proves too tall, and if the plants are 

 not soft when used, will possibly last a 

 little longer than the last named fern, 

 under the same conditions. 



A. c. mundulum is of garden origin, 

 and although in cultivation since 1S79, 

 is not frequently met with in the trade, 

 in fact, seems scarcer now than it was 

 ten years ago, no doubt owing to the 

 greater demand for ferns of more en- 

 durance than is found among the maid- 

 enhairs in general. 



A. TETRAPHYLLUM. Among the 

 less common species of maidenhair 

 ferns, Adiantum tetraphyllum is de- 

 serving of special mention, and some 

 idea of its general outline may be had 



from the illustration which accompa- 

 nies this note. But, unfortunately, an 

 ordinary photograph fails to show us 

 the fine distinctions of coloring that 

 present themselves in the living plant, 

 and in consequence we are compelled 

 to fall back upon cold type for our 

 descriptions. 

 The plant in question has been found 



in fern collections for many years 

 past, and has produced an occasional 

 variation in form from time to time, 

 though it is not a notably prolific spe- 

 cies, perhaps the best of these varia- 

 tions from the type being that known 

 as A. tetraphyllum gracile, in which 

 the pinnae are rather narrower than 

 those of the original species and the 



Adiantum Mundulum. 



Adiantum Tetraphyllum. 



young fronds show a higher coloring 

 than is found on the type. 



A. tetraphyllum may -be classed as 

 a moderate grower, the fronds reach- 

 ing a height of 12 to 15 inches, and are 

 usually four times divided, or rather 

 divided into four segments. While un- 

 folding the young fronds are frequent- 

 ly bright pink, this color gradually 

 fading as the frond develops, until the 

 mature leaf becomes dark green. 



This species prefers warm house 

 treatment, is evergreen, and grows 

 best in a rather loose and open com- 

 post. It requires plenty of water at 

 the root, but during the winter espe- 

 cially should not be watered overhead 

 frequently, or the fronds are liable to 

 become rusty. Snails seem to have a 

 special liking for the young foliage of 

 A. tetraphyllum, and close watching 

 is required to get the best of these 

 pests. 



A. WIEGANDII. A few years since 

 a much greater variety of ferns seemed 

 to be grown for florists' use than is 

 now found among the large trade 

 growers. It is evidently a case of the 

 survival of the fittest, or rather of the 

 species and varieties that may be pro- 

 duced in large quantities with a mini- 

 mum expenditure of time and labor. 

 Adiantum Wiegandii is one of those 

 varieties that has almost disappeared 

 within a few years, though it is not a 

 particularly tender fern, or one that is 

 difficult to reproduce. 



